Once alone at home, I changed into more comfortable clothes and thought about the meeting that had just happened. It went better than I thought it would and I loved hearing how happy and excited Ante was. And, even if I was still anxious about fostering a kid, I knew Ante would deal with it and make the whole proccess as smooth as possible for everyone involved.
With a small smile on my face, I picked up the book I was reading and continued where I stopped, being pulled instantly into a fantasy world where the main character just discovered she wasn't born on Earth. The hours flew by and I was pulled out of the story by the noise of the front door.
"Hey, how was your afternoon?" I asked as I closed my book and got up from the sofa.
"Good. I kept thinking about that meeting between two patients. I also booked someone to help me clean the guest's room this weekend. It's a teenager looking for some extra money but he seemed motivated." He explained, making me nod.
"That's great. Is there anything I could do to help?" I asked, not wanting to be the only one not doing anything.
"It will probably take us the whole afternoon to clean the room so some drinks and food would be appreciated, if you don't mind." He answered and I nodded. It was the least I could do.
We reheated some leftovers and ate in the kitchen. During the meal, he told me more in details how his afternoon went while keeping the confidential medical information for himself. After a nice evening together, we went to bed and, as I was trying to fall asleep, my thoughts went toward how much our lives were going to change in the near future. I didn't know how much it would change but I knew it would be significant.
The day after, on Saturday, I woke up earlier and dressed myself before going in the kitchen to prepare the breakfast. Then we cleaned the house while music was playing in the background and we cooked a light, healthy meal that we ate in front of the TV. Someone knocked on the door just as we finished cleaning the dishes. I heard Ante's steps going further away from me and the noise of the front door being opened.
"Hello, thank you for coming to help me. I really appreciate it." I heard Ante say as I made my way toward him.
"Hello." I greeted the teenager he told me about with a small smile on my face.
"We're going to get to work immediately. Do you need anything?" Ante asked and I just shook my head. I was fine and I could manage on my own.
I heard them walk up the stairs and I smiled to myself. Knowing I had a good few hours for myself, I went in the bedroom and put some comfortable workout clothes before going in the living room. I was determined to start exercising regularly and kept in mind the way Ante's body felt under my fingertips: toned and lean without too many muscles. I was hoping I would be able to reach that goal one day. After my workout session, I went upstairs to take a shower before going to the guest's room to see if they needed anything. I could hear some noises and I preferred to knock on the door.
"How is it going? Do you want something to drink?" I asked, staying in the doorway.
"Some water would be perfect." Ante answered and I nodded as I left to prepare their drinks.
I made my way back upstairs with their glasses and handed them to Ante and the teenager, Joe. "So, are you making great progress?"
"We are. We just finished disassembling the frame of the bed and the nightstands. We're going to bring them outside soon. Then we will have to remove the mattress and clean the room."
"Sounds like you're doing a great job. I'm going to prepare some cookies so you have something to eat once you are done." I replied with a smile before letting them return to their work.
I went back to the kitchen and took all the ingredients needed to make cookies. I then prepared the dough, using the braille vessels and ustensils to know the right quantities, before separating it into small round piles on a plate. I then put it in the oven and, thanks to the voice feature, I put it at the right temperature knowing it would turn off after the preset period. As I was waiting for the cookies to cook, I could hear Ante and Joe go up and down the stairs. I took the plate out of the oven once the electronic voice told me it was ready and put it on the counter while waiting for it to cool down. It smelled delicious.
"It smells so good," Ante said, coming up behind me and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Are you done?" I asked as I turned around to face him.
"We are. I will have to book someone to bring everything at the landfill but otherwise we are done for today."
"You and Joe should sit down and have some cookies. They are still hot so they should be good." I replied with a smile as I took the plate from the counter to put it on the table.
We all sat around the table and I listened to them talk as they were eating the cookies.
"They are really good. Thank you." Joe said once we were done.
"He seems like a great kid." I said once Joe left the house.
"He is. He worked the whole afternoon without complaining once. I gave him a tip when he left, I think he deserves it."
I smiled at his words and we sat on the sofa to relax a little.
"Did you ever think of learning how to drive?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"I never really felt the need to because we have everything needed close to home but... I've been thinking about it more and more recently. I think it would be more practical once we have a child."
"One more change in our lives, eh?"
"I know you're not a big fan of changes but these ones are positive, no?" He replied back and I could hear the smile in his voice.
I smiled as I put my head on his shoulder. Changes were scary but I trusted him. I always trusted him. We decided to eat leftovers for dinner and to go to bed early. The day after, on Sunday, Ante booked someone with a truck to bring the stuffs that were removed from the room to the landfill. That person was supposed to come in a few days. We spent a moment talking about the future foster kid's room and what we could and couldn't already get. Talking about it helped me relax; Ante seemed sure and knowledgeable on this topic. What could go wrong?
YOU ARE READING
Together (Sequel of 'Broken Hearts')
Romansa[Sequel of Broken Hearts] Four years later, Ante is accomplished in his work and gets the opportunity to foster a child to help him overcome his past while waiting for his new forever home. While this won't be easy, it will open a new chapter in the...
